Mark , I meant to try to answer you sooner, but lost track of your post. 1) I saw the SL16 label on a box the last time I went to Home Depot. I had the box opened and saw they had the correct SL15 ballasts in them. I believe that they may be changing the style of the fixture and just used the old number and upped it by one, not realizing that somebody initially based the product number on the ballast number. Beats me. I always open one box to see if its got the SL15. Sunpark doesnÂt make an SL16. 2) The traditional T12 fluorescents were designed to use 430mA each, and use a magnetic ballast. The newer T8Âs have been designed for 265mA of current. The SL15 ballast is able to drive the old F40T12Âs, but it causes the circuitry to operate different, drawing less current than the older design normally would use. I use F40T12Âs in them, both out-of-the-box and overdriven. An overdriven fixture really lights up the older style 430mA tubes. (Extra design info: T12HO=800mA , T12VHO=1200mA, 34wT12=460mA, 20wT12=380mA, 20w/40w slimline=425mA, and thereÂs more, each different T5 wattage has a different current design.) 3) Probably not. It is nearly always cheaper to buy a good, inexpensive shoplight and remove the ballast Especially that Home Depot one. 3b) I donÂt know. I had downloaded brochures on them from GE months ago. They may be designed differently, as they are supposed to have special features, such as automatic line voltage matching. 4) I donÂt know the fixture you speak of, but reflecting back light that otherwise would escape is always a good thing. 5) Power Factor (not ballast factor) is a ratio of the how efficiently the current and voltage waveforms match due to the circuit design. Without trying to remember how to explain it, I can tell you this  donÂt worry. Poor Power Factor normally does not cost you. It costs the electric company, unless they have special meters on your house to detect it. That is rare. 7) DonÂt try to switch in and out of overdrive. Too late for details, but youÂre asking for trouble if you do it If you are using a single SL15 to light each bulb, then put any switches on the line-side/power-side of the ballasts (black wire). Zink

We love this Broccoli Ham and Cheddar Soup. Does this sound like something that might appeal to you and your family? I usually double or even quadruple the recipe as it freezes well. I use home made broth rather than a bullion cube though. As the recipe notes, it's very flexible in the amounts of ham, mushroom and broccoli you can add so if you have a lot of ham go ahead and throw in extra. Here is a link that might be useful: Broccoli Ham and Cheddar Soup

My son has a friend from Norway who graduated from the University of Arizona. Her main problem with our language was learning the "colloquialisms". LOL She would often ask "what on earth does that mean"? Bettye

LOL Yes, I guess this is why they say English is such a difficult language to learn. I'm glad I started in infancy.